busily en · ADV
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English busily, busiliche, bisili, bisiliche, equivalent to busy + -ly.
Meanings
-
In a busy manner; actively.
Quite a crowd of townspeople turned out to see the train start, and several pressmen were busily engaged in taking notes and photographs.
1949 November and December, “Notes and News: By Special Train to Llanfair”, in Railway Magazine, page 409:But these sweet thoughts do ever refresh my labours,/ Most busil'est when I do it.
1610-11?, Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act III, scene iLook at the little fellows, mere bundles of fluff, paddling along so busily and sturdily.
1934, Henry G. Lamond, An Aviary on the Plains, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 5:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more busily | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most busily | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Translations (3)
ru хлопотли́во (in a busy manner) · ka საქმიანად (in a busy manner) · it intentamente (in a busy manner)